"My walk through shadows"

My story began in mid July 2023 when I went along for  what should have been, a routine mammogram,  only to be called back to the breast screening centre in Belfast the following week...me thinking the x-ray hadn't been clear. 

Therefore being told they had found something came as a bolt out of the blue. The doctor explained they would do an ultrasound & take a biopsy that day & I would get the results in approx 2 weeks stressing it could be a little cyst but if it was cancer everything would happen very fast. 

At that point I experienced a calmness that I can't quite explain other than my faith in a God who cares directing me to the word Shadow in 23rd psalm...I felt I would be walking through a shadow of death.  At the start of August I received the diagnosis no one wants  to receive...Breast Cancer triple negative variety!! Ugh

Very quickly I attended Belfast City hospital to meet my consultant Miss Sloan who explained the surgery and aftercare.   I was hoping I would not need chemo possibly only radiotherapy...not to be... so towards the end of October after meeting my oncologist Dr Crawford  I began down the road of chemotherapy,  the side effects so severe after just the first treatment I nearly gave up only to be reminded of the word Shadow so I continued to walk & as everyone knows it's a very unpleasant experience,  followed by 15 radiotherapy sessions which sapped my energy completely. 

I had hoped to keep my fitness levels up during these months by at least getting out and walking,  but I  could only manage short walks on the few good days before my next treatment.   I had mentioned this to the breast cancer nurse while she was reviewing my treatment and recovery,  it was she who recommended joining the physical activity classes (made possible by the Friends of Cancer charity) led by Joe in the Macmillan centre.   

I first met with Joe for a one-to-one to assess my energy/fitness levels in May 2024, and joined the class, boy what a shock to my system!  The first class after just 1 circuit I was exhausted (Joe does stress participants can take a break anytime they need to ) I could hardly walk back to the car & slept for a few hours when I got home, but each week saw an improvement.

Now at the end of this course, with the encouragement of Joe, I am able to use the weights in class and have more strength, I have also rejoined my pilates class...the area still affecting me is fatigue but  I will be attending a 2-week course delivered by breast cancer nurses in the Macmillan centre on how to manage this.

Throughout this year I have met staff in all areas who have treated me  not only professionally but also with kindness & respect encouraging me to continue through each stage to my New Normal, I feel I am walking out of the shadow of death into a new chapter of my life.

I have nothing but praise for Belfast City hospital cancer unit who work tirelessly for their patients making an environment which could be scary and depressing but because of them isn't.